If you are used to using database software like Microsoft Access, then you know how to navigate it and get things done using it. But what about when you need to share the information with other people who don’t know access at all? Well, you can create a “user menu” to help other people who don’t use Access on a daily basis navigate it without headaches. In this short tutorial, I will show you how to create a “user menu” or as Microsoft calls it a “Switchboard.”

1. First, make sure you have open the database for which you want to create a user menu or “swithchboard” as it’s called by Microsoft. Next, go to Database Tools>Switchboard Manager, and you will see a pop up window box asking you if you want to create a swtichboard, so click the Yes button.
2. Next, the “Switchboard Manager” pop up window box appears and click New to create a brand new user menu for this particular database. Following that, the “Create New” pop up window box appears and asks you for a name, so type in a name you will remember and click OK. The new name will appear right below “Main Switchboard” (Defaut) under “Switchboard Pages” back in the “Switchboard Manager” pop up window box.
3. Next you need to add “menu items” to your switchboard, so select the newly created switchboard listed right under “Main Switchboard” (Default) and click Edit. Next, the “Edit Switchboard Item” pop up window box appears. Enter the name of the menu item in the “Text” box, and then select the command along with the form. And click OK. This new command will appear under “Items on this Switchboard” within the “Edit Swicthboard Page” pop up window box.
4. You will have to repeat step 3 for each command (“menu item”) that you want to include in the switchboard (“user menu”).

Great! You created a switchboard that your users will appreciate.

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